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"In real life, problems aren't at the end of the section in the book...You don't see textbook problems here. You have to be creative." Steve Hillis, director of the Statistical Consulting Center, discussing the application of statistics to real-life situations (Cedar Rapids Gazette, April 29).

"A [double] bass got delivered to Rolfe (Iowa) High School and I've been playing it ever since." Eldon Obrecht, 76-year-old composer and emeritus professor of music, interviewed before performing a new composition this spring for a Masterpieces of Music course (Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 1).

"I want people out there to think of our graduates, when it comes to computers, as no problem." Witold Krajewski, professor of civil and environmental engineering, discussing his "paperless" engineering course, one requiring all homework to be done on computer (Omaha World-Herald, May 6).

"Iowa has excellent schools, but to say Iowa is No. 1 in the nation is grossly misleading. Iowa's solid. The people are good and the results are good and we can take pride in it, but we're going to lose that edge." George Chambers, professor of planning, policy, and leadership studies, warning of the emerging need for the state to revise the finance formula for its schools (Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 12).

"We're trying to use our modern chemistry and microbiology to see if we can explain why these plants work in alternative medicine." Christine Wu-Yuan, associate professor of periodontics and an investigator at the Dows Institute for Dental Research, discussing the discovery of compounds in clove oil that help prevent tooth decay and gum disease (Des Moines Register, May 20).

"When state lawmakers restricted rural residents' access to courts to enforce traditional nuisance protections in 1995, they not only overturned more than 400 years of legal precedents, they ran roughshod over the tradition of neighborly respect and cooperation that has sustained rural Iowans for 150 years." N. William Hines, dean of the College of Law, expressing disappointment that the legislature is failing to address environmental degredation caused by large-scale hog operations in Iowa (Des Moines Register, May 26).

"After all, we seem to forget that our parents were our first teachers and sometimes they can be excellent tutors." Alice Atkinson, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, discussing a University of Iowa study showing that attending all-day school has no clear-cut advantages or disadvantages (Iowa City Press-Citizen, May 28).

"My students seem to be very excited about class...I just worry that what they're learning will stick with them for a month and that then they'll forget it." Frank Conroy, director of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, talking about the University's new three-week summer session (Des Moines Register, May 30).

"We're spending much more time out there, instead of sitting around waiting for minorities to come here. We're doing the outreach. We're beating the streets, so to speak." Joe Coulter, director of Opportunity at Iowa, in an article discussing the University's efforts to attract minority students and faculty (Iowa City Press-Citizen, June 3).